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Schengen Travel Rules

Hello! I am an American and I recently came back to the US after backpacking Europe in the Schengen area for 80 days. I am looking to go back to Europe for another couple of months, but I know I can only stay in Europe for 90 days in the span of 180 days. So my question (bear with me), do I have to wait the full 90 days after my 80 day travel experience, or can I go back after 80 days, finish up my 10 day limit within my 180 day timeframe and then have the clock restart once the 180 days are over and be able to stay in Europe for another 90 days?

I don't think that what you describe can be done. Take a look at http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/home-affairs/what-we-do/policies/borders-and-visas/border-crossing/docs/short_stay_schengen_calculator_user_manual_en.pdf. For lack of a better word, the 180-day period is a floating period meaning that on any given date you look back 180 days and you cannot have been in the Schengen Area for more than 90 of those 180 days. Also, there are countries in Europe that are not in the Schengen Zone. You seem to be referring to Europe as the Schengen Zone when that is not the case. Many countries, for example, the UK, Ireland, are not in the Schengen Zone and if you visited those countries, your days there would not count toward your 90 day period.

You are not supposed to be in Schengen more than 90 days at a time. So if you go back - after you have been out 80 days you can stay 10 days to finish up your 90 days there. BUT, this will also be the first 10 days of your next 90 days - since you can't be in Schengen for more than any 90 days in 180 - and what you want to do would give you 100 days.

If you leave Schengen - UK, Ireland - that can give you more total time in europe.

See that the rule mentioned by the first poster? The second paragraph says ANY 180-day period. What you, and many others asking the same question, incorrectly imagine that they can choose a fixed 180-day period of their convenience -- the non-existing concept of "reset" or "restart." If there is ANY 180-day period where you are in the zone for more than 90 days, you are in violation.